Automatic slip handler



July 19, 1932. A. l.. sEGELHoRsT AUTOMATIC SLIP HANDLER Filed March 2e.1930 5 Sheets-Sheet L.. .v 7 .a a nl z J Jz z5' .sa J,

2,60 a :6in/azar July 19, 1932..' A. L. sEGELHQRs'r 1,868,119

AUTOMATIC SLIP HANDLER Filed March 26. 1930 3 Sheets-sheet 2 1f Hummm@ggaa a usr .fessuvoesr Z zum* July 19, 1932. A. .l sEGELHoRsT`'1,868,119

AUTOMATIC sLI'P HANDLER Filed March 26, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Hrro/aysvPatented .luly 19, `1932 AUGUST L. snGELnonsT, or HUNTINGTON BEACH,cALnionNn AUToxATIc SLIP HANDLER Application tiled latch 26, 1930.Serial No. 439,022.

This invention has to do with slips such Y as are commonly used tosupport a string of pipe, and is more particularly related to the art ofdrillingv and operating oil wells where- 5 in the drill pipe, the casingand the tubing are usually supported and handled by means of slipsassoclated with suitable supporting and handling spiders. l

It is a primary object of this inventlon to lo produce a slip assemblyof the class described, which is .of simple form and construction, maybe economically manufactured and can be easily installed and handled inthe field.

It is well known to those familiar with the ll art that the operation ofthe slips in oil well drilling tools requires a certain amount of skillon the part of the workmen and since some of these slips are necessarilyvery large and consequently very heavy, they are in many cases diicultto operate.

It therefore becomes a further object of this invention to producea-slip handling device of the class described, which is automatic in itsaction, and to accomplish this object I have produced a slip handler inwhich the movement of the sli sis controlled by the movement of a stringofp pipe or tubing therethrough, thereby eliminating the man-v ual laborordinarily required to operate the slips. This operation is effected byproviding the slips with a yieldable member which extends inwardly intothe opening through which the tubing passes, so as to be in continualpressure engagement with the tubing andy the friction of the tubing upon,this yieldable member is, therefore, e'ective to exert a force upon theslips in the direction in which the tubing is moving. The yieldablemember referred to may be mounted di- 0 rectly upon' the slips, it maybe) mounted in a specially constructed slip control ring which isattached to the slip through the medium of yieldable members adapted topermit'the inward and outward movement of the slips rel- 45' ativeto-the tubing, or it may be an independent ring contained within thehousing and adapted to move the slips by virtue of its engagementtherewith.

v It will be understood, of course, that the 50, in ward and outwardmovement of the slips relative to the tubing is effected in the usualmanner by slidably mounting the slips within a housing and forming theinterengaging surfaces between the slips and the housin so as to obtaina wedge action vupon the` si s and effect their inward movement towardthe passage therethrough when they are pressed downwardly into thehousing.

The slip handling device contemplated by this invention is'especiallyuseful in connec- 6o tion with slip assemblies wherein the interenga 'ngsurfaces between the housing and l the s ips are formed so as to provideinterfitting shoulders which limit the upward movement of the slips inthe housing. l It is to be understood, however, that the invention isnot confined in its use to 'an assembly of this nature, but readilylends itself to luse in connection with numerous types of slips and slipassemblies, examples of which will be 7o hereinafter more completelydescribed. In order that the slips may optionally be held againstdownward movement in the housing during the process of lowering thetubing therethrough, it becomes a further object of this inventlon toprovide a device of the class described with a latch unit which isadapted to lock the slipsy in their upper position. l

In some cases, es ecially in the event the slips are being use in acasinghe-ad, it becomes desirable to have embodied in the slip assemblya packing unit which is formed so as to provide a tight closure betweenthel tubing and the casing or the slip housing. 8'5 It is,therefore,another object of this invention to produce a device kof theclassdescribed, wherein the yieldable member referred to above is soformedand so positioned eitherv upon the slips or upon ithe slip controlcollar, as to be forced vinto pressure engagement with the innen.surface of the housing when it is engaged by the tubing. i I

The details in the construction of various forms of my invention,together with other '0e A objects attending its roduction, will be bestunderstood from the ollowing description of the accompanying drawingswhich are chosen for illustrative urposes only, and in which- Fig. 1 isa sectional elevation of a preferred 10 invention,

form ofslip assembly contemplated by this which is shown as being mounin the upper end of an' oil well casing and shows the lower end portionof a string of pipe or tubing as having been lowered into the upper endportion of the slip assembly; Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation similar`to Fig. 1 and illustrating the manner in which the slips are operated bythe movement of av tubing therethrough;

Fig. 3 is a plan section which may be considered as having been taken ina plane represented by the line 3-3 in Fig. 1`;

Fig. 4 is a plan se'ction taken through a unit embodying my inventionandshows the manner in whichvthe slips and the slip han,-

v dler may be placed about a tubing after the .asbe

' 'in lwhich as herein illustrated,

. vided with a recess same has been started into the casing;

Fig. 5 is a partial sectional elevation illustrating the details of theconstruction of a modified form of my invention;

Fig. 6 is another partial sectional elevationanother modification in theconshowmg i of the yieldable slip control memstruction r v Fig. 7 is apartial sectional elevation showing another modified form of myinvention in which the yieldable slip control member is showing themanner in which my invention may be adapted toa lifting nipple.

More particularly describing the invention v reference numeral 11indicates a slip supporting unit which is shown as comprising the tocollar on a string of casing, but lit will e understood that this membermay b e a part of an elevator, the spider in. a rotary table, or anyother member which is used for supportingor handling pipe.Referencenumeral 12 1ndicates a slip housing which is shown as being inthreaded engagement with the supporting member 11, and is provided withan ,inwardly and downwardly sloping inner surface 13 against which aplurality of slips 14 are adapted to rest in slidin engagement. Theupper portion of the colar 12 is proforming an inwardly extendingshoulder 15, which is adapted tocooperate with v 16, formed onthe slips14 for the purpose of limiting the upward movement of vthe slips throu7h the housing. l

i 4Re erence numeral 17 indicates what may outwardly extendingshouldersV be termed a guide member, being in-the form of an internallythreaded collar having atop plate 18 provided with an opening 19 throughwhich a ltubing 2() is adapte to pass. The guide member 17 is providedfor the purpose of directing the tubing 20 into the passage surroundedby they slipsand to therebyl revent the inadvertent movement of one o te slips into the passage through engagement of the tubing therewith.

Reference numeral 21 indicates what I will hereinafter refer to as aslip control ring or collar which may be made solid but is shown asbeing made up of a plurality of segments 22 which are retained inassembled relation with each other by means of a clamping ring 24 whichis positioned in an annular groove 25 in the assembly collar. The slipcontrol collar or ring 21 is attached to the slips 14 by a plurality ofmetal bands or strips 26, and it will be observed that each of theindividual slips 14 is collar se ent 22. ounted1 upon the lower endportion of the collar 21 is a yieldable tub ing engaging member 27. Thismember is referably made as a solid ring which is fitted 1nto alignedgrooves 28 formed in the lower ends of the sections 22, or is otherwiseattached to the collar. AIn this particular form of my invention themember 27 is formed so as to be pressed outwardly into pressureenagement with the inner surface ofthe hous- 1n 12 when its inner edgeis engaged by the tu ing 20. This feature of the invention is clearlyillustrated in Fi 2, where it will be understood that the yielablemember 27 acts as a packer between the tubing 20 andy-the housing 12. Itwill be understood in this connection that the yieldable member 27 maybe composed of any suitable material, but for the most satisfactoryresults that this member should be made of rubber. It was fpreviouslymentioned as one of the objects o this invention to provide a device ofthe class described with a latch unit which .could be employed forlocking the slips 1n their upper osition so that the tubing might belowered t erethroughto any desired point` before its movement waslhalted through its engagement with the slips. Such a locking deviceisgenerally indicated in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, by reference numeral 30,and is shown as comprising a pin member 31 which extends throu h asuitable aperture 32 formed in the ousing 12.. and has an inner taperedyend which is adapted to be received in an annular roove or a'suitablypositioned notch formed 1n the ring member 21 andindicated in thedrawingsbyY reference numeral 33. The pin member 31 is shown asextending outwardly through a suitably positioned housingA 34 whichcontains a coll spring 35 adapted to engage a shoulder 36 formed on thepin 31, and through. such engagement to continually press the springinwardly towhich is shown as rovided with a separate` I have found vzoward the tposition shown in Fig. 1, where it is receive bythe recess 33and is effective to hold or lock the slips in their upper position. Theoutward or releasing movement of the`pin 31 is effected by means of alever 37 which is pivotally mounted on the out# wardly extending end ofthe pin and i's provided with an elongated cam surface 38 which whenengaged by the outer surface of the housing 34, as indicated in Fig. 2,1s eective to withdraw the pin from the recess 33 and thereb permit thedownward movement' of the s ips in the housin 12.

above its lower end. Under such circum` stances I have found itdesirable to employ a special clamping tool which Iv have devised foruse in connection with this device, and such a tool is shownin Fig. 4 ascom rising a yoke 40 having an engagement pate 41 mountedl upon one'endand provided with a threaded hub 42 at its other end. The

threaded hub 42 receives a screw member 43 which carries on its innerend an engagement member 44 and on its outer end a crank 45. Inassembling the unit upon a tubing by means vof this' device, the slipcontrol ring- 21 is positioned about the tubing and is clamped inassembled relation thereon by means of the engagement members 41 and 44in cooperation with 'the screw 43. After all of the segments 22 havebeen clamped into tight engagement with each other, the rin 24 is lacedin the annular channel 25 an after eing fastened in any lpreferredmanner, such as by means-ofthe screws 46, the clamping member 40 isremoved and the slip assemblyis ready for operation.

Phat formof my 1nvention.-shown in Fig. 5 is substantially, the same asthe form described in connection with Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, and forthis reason parts similar to those described in connection with theabove figure are indicated by the same referencecharacters,'distinguished by the letter a. The main distinction betweenthis modified form of my invention and the form described above, residesin the formation of the'slip control ring 21a and the yieldable tubingengaging member 27a. It will be noted that the slip controlv ring 21a issimilar to the ring 21 except that it has fformed upon its inner surfacea channel 50 and that the tubing engaging members 27a comprises a. Tshaped ring, the T section 51 of which is reited movement of the slipsin the ceived by the channel 50. In this form of my invention the pipeengaging member 27a does not act as a packer between the tubing 20a andthe housing 12a, but is designed to act solely for the purpose ofeffecting a limwhen the latch member 30a is released.

That fform of my -invention shown in Fig.

6 is fundamentally similar to the forms shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive,and the parts similar to those described in connection with the abovefigures are indicated by the reference characters used in Fig. 1,distinguished by the letter b, In this form of my invention, in

stead of using a single slip control ring as was employed in the formsdescribed'above I use a pair of spaced parallel rings 52 and 53, whichare connected by means of inwardly bowed spring members 54. d The springmembers 54 are shaped so that the are in continual pressure engagementwit ousing esy the tubing 205 and through such engagement v they havethe same eliect as the rubber membersv shown and described in connectionwith Figures 1 to 5, inclusive. In this form of my invention, the latchmember 305, instead of engaging an annular groove, as was the case inthe forms'described above, is positioned so as to extend inwardlybelowthe lower edge of one ofthe rings (the ring- 52).

In the form of my invention shown in Fig.

7, wherein the parts similar to those described in connection with theabove figures are indicated by the reference-numerals used in Fig. 1,distinguished by the letter c, I show the yieldable slip control member270 as comprising a plurality of segments which are mounted directlyupon the slips. l In this form of m invention the slips themselves,indicated channel or a suitably positioned recess 56, which is situatedso as to receive the latch pin 310 in thelatch 30e. It will beunderstood in regard to this form of my invention, that the `yieldableslip control member 27e may be mounted i'n the manner shown in Fig. 7,or if desiredmay be mounted on the bottom edge of the slip 140 so as to'form a packer in thesame manner as was described in that form of myinvention shown in Fig. 1. In order that the slips in this lastmentioned form of my invention vmay be maintained in assembled relationwith each other, itis necessary, slnce these slips are not assof pcontrol ringto. provide y4 reference numerals'14e, are' `shown as beingprovided with an annular pivotally connected to one of the slips, as vindicated by reference numeral 59, and being provided with slots 60 intheir opposite end portions, which are slidable aboutpins e1. l

In the operation of this last described form of my invention it will beunderstood that when the latch member 300 is released, the engagement ofthe tubing 20c with the yieldable member 27o is effective to draw theslips limited by an inwardly projecting s oulder p 66, which is formedupon a collar 67. .In this form of my invention the slip controlring 21dis contained within the collar member 67 and is attached to the'upperend portion of the slips 14d through the medium of yieldable attachingmembers 2601. The slip control ring or collar 21d carries a yieldableengagement member 27 d and is locked against be understood, of course,that it may be made 'in the form of theLone described in connect-ionwith` Fig. 1, and the parts similar to those described in connectionwith Fig, 5 are downward movement, with respect to the housing 12d bymeans of a latch 30d which is positioned sc that the latch pin 31d willextend inwardly throu h the collar member 67 below the bottom e geof thering member 21d when the slips have been elevated to the extreme upperposition. The upward movement of the slip assembly with respect to thehousing while the `tubing 1s being withdrawn,

is limited by means of an inwardly extending flange or shoulder 68,which is formed on the y, f "'-parts whereby the slips are adapted tomove outwardly to clear the tubing when elevated vand to be locked.against upward movement upper end of the collar member 67.

The form of my invention shown in Fig. 10 embodies the simplest type ofslip assembly which is commonly used in the oil lwell drilling industry,and shows the same as comprising a. slip housing 12e, which is adaptedto receive slips 14e, the slips 14e being shown as having attached totheir lower end portion through the medium of yieldable-strips 26e, aslip control ring 21e. Theslip control ring vv21e is substantially thesame as the one described in connection with Fig. 5. It will indicatedby the same reference characters, designated by the letter e.

' It isfrequently desirable, especially in the event one company isoperating several wells which are near each other, to' have what isknown as a lifting nipple that may be taken from one well to another,and used in withdrawing or installing tubing 'in the well.

Such a nipple consists of a short section of tubing similar to thatwhich is to be installed,.having mounted thereon a set of slips.

I have found that-the device contemplated by this invention isparticularly adapted to use in connection with such a Fig. 11 I show apreferred form of'assembly consisting of a nipple or short tubingsection indicated lby reference numeral 70, upon which a slip assembly71 is mounted. The slip assembly 71 may be constructed as any one of theforms described above, but I show.

the same as comprising a unit in which the slip control collar -issimilar to the one shown nipple and in and described in connection withFig. 1, andv the slip elements 14e are similar to those .shown in Fig.10. The'slip control collar and its associated parts indicated by thesame reference characters as were used 1n connection with. Fig. 1,. aredistinguished by the rime mark. Y 'It will be apparent from the abovedescription vthat the device contemplated by this invention comprises anautomatic slip handler whichis of simple form and construction and whichlends itselfto various forms and uses.

It is to be understood that While I have v.herein described andillustrated various Jforms of my invention, the invention is not limitedto any one of the structures-described above, but includes within itsscope whatever changes fairly come within' the spirit of the appendedclaims. j

' I claim as my invention:

1. A slip organizatibn for use in supporting tubing embodying thecombination of: a housing; slips slidably 'mounted in said housing, said-slips and said housing being providedupon their engaging faces withtransverse recesses producing inter-fitting within the housing in theelevated position; and yieldable means associated with said slips andincontinual pressure engagement with said tubing forfmoving said slips insaid housing into an engaging or a non-engaging relation with saidtubing during a loo transverse recesses producing inter-fitting i partswhereby the slips are adapted to move outwardly to clear the tubing whenelevated and to be locked against upward movement within the housing inthe elevated position; llatch means for locking said slips in saidelevated position; and yieldable means associated with said slips andzadapted `to engage said tubing for moving said slips in said housingduring the movement-of said tubing i-,aoaiia ring and adapted to engagesaid-tubin for through; anda latch for locking said slipsv in anelevated position.

and adapted to engage moving said ring and said slips in said ousingduring the movement of a tubing therethrou h. v y

. 4. slip organization for use in supporting tubing embodying thecombination o f: a housing; slips slidably mounted in s aid housing,said slipsand/ said housing being provided upon their engaging faceswith transverse recesses producing inter-fitting parts whereby the slipsare adapted to ,move outwardly to clear the tubing when elevated and tobe locked against upward movement within 'the housing in the elevatedposition; a slip control ring adapted to encircle said tubing; meansconnecting -said slips to said ring;`yieldable means mounted on saidring and adapted toy engage said tubing for moving said ring and saidsli s in said housing during the movement o a. tubing there- 1 5. A sliporganization for use-in supporting tubing embodying the combination ofi:la housing; slips slidably mounted` in said housing, said slips and saidhousing being provided upon their engaging faces with transverserecesses producin inter-fitting parts whereby the slips are a ted tomove outwardly to clear the tubing w en elevated and to be lockedagainst upward movement within the housing in the'elevated position; aslip control ring adapted to encircle said tubing; means connecting saids lips 'to said ring; yieldable means mounted on said ring said tubingfor'moving said ring and said slips in said housing during the movementof a tubing therethrough; and' a latch in said housing cooperative withsaid ring for locking saidslips `in an elevated position. l

' 6. A slip organization foruse in supporting tubing embodying thecombination of:

a housing; slips slidably mounted in 'said housing, said slips and saidhousing being `provided upon their engaging faces with transverserecesses producing' inter-fitting parts whereby the slips are adaptedlto move noutwardly to clear the Itubing when elevated and to be lockedagainst upward movement said latch means is re-` ing tubing embodyingthe combination of: a .I

housing; slips slidably mounted in saidhousin said slips and saidhousing being provi ed upon their engaging faces with transl-verserecesses producing inter-fitting parts whereby the slips are adapted tomove outwardly to clear the tubing when elevated and to be lockedagainst upward movement within the housing in the elevated osition; aslip control ring adapted to encirc e lsaid tubing; means connectingsaid slips tol said ring;

means mounted= on said ring and adapted to i engage said tubing formoving said ring and said slips in said housing during the movement -ofa tubing therethrough, said rin being formed'in segments; and means forooking said segments in assembled relation about said tubing.

8. A slip organization for use in support- `ing tubing 4embodying thecombination of: a housing; slips slidabl mounted in said houssaidslipsjand said housing being provided upon their engaging faces withtransverse recesses producin inter-fitting parts whereby the slips are-adapted to move outwardly to clear the tubing when elevated and to belocked against upward movement .within the housing in theelevatedposition;

a.l slip control ring adaptedv to encircle said tubing; means connecting'said'slips to said ring; and a flexible yieldable ring mounted in salislip control ring and adapted to engage said tubing for movin@P saidslip control'ring. and said slips in said housing during` the movementof a'tubing therethrough.

9. A slip organization for use in supportmil ing tubing embodying thecombination of: a

housing;slips.slidably mounted in said housing, said slips and saidhousing beingpro- -vided' upon their engaging faces with transverserecesses producingv inter-tting parts whereby the slips are adapted tomove outwardly to clear the tubing when elevated-and to be lockedagainst upward movement within the housingin the elevated position; aslip control ring adapted to encircle said tubing; meansv connectingsaid slips tp said ring; and a'flexible yieldable ring mounted in saidslip control ring adapted to engagesaid tubing for moving said slipcontrol ring and said slips in said housing during the movement of atubing therethrough-said flexible yieldable ring being mounted on'thebottom of said slip control ring and being shaped so as to form a packerbetween said tubing and said housing.

I 10. A slip organization for use insupporting tubing embodying the.combination of: a

housing; slips slidably mounted in said housin said sli s and saidhousing being provi ed upon t eir engaging faces with transverserecesses roducin inter-fitting parts whereby the slips are a apted tomove outwardly to clear the tubing when` elevated and to be lockedagainst upward movement within the housing in the elevated position; aslip control ring adapted to encircle said tubing; means connectin saidslips to'said ring; and a exible yiel able ring mounted in said slipcontrol ring adapted to engage said tubing for moving said slip controlring and said sli s in said housing during the movement o a tubingtherethrough, said exible yieldable ring being formed so as to act as apacker between said tubing and said housing.

11. A slip organization for use in supportin tubing embodying: ahousing; slips slidab y mounted in said housing; and yieldable meansassociated with said slips and in continual pressure engagement withsaid tubing for im arting a limited movement to said slips p uring thepassage of a tubing therethrough.

12. A slip organization for .use in supporting tubing embodying: ahousing; slips slidably mounted in said housing, said slips and saidhousing being provided'with interengaging surfaces adapted to force saidslips inwardly during their downward movement in said housing; andyieldable means associated with said slips in continual pressureengagement with said tubing for imparting limited movementto said slipsin said hous- A ing during the passage ofjaf tubing therethrough.-

13. A slip organization for use in supporting tubing embodying: ahousing; slips slidably mounted in said housing; yieldable meansassociated with said slips for imparting a limited movement to saidslips durin ing-'tubing embodying z` a-housing; slips slidv ably mountedin said housing; a slip control ringadaptedto encircle said tubing;means connectin said slips to said slip control ring; and a yiel ablemember mounted on' said slip said slips during the control ring andadapted to engage said tubing for imparting limited movement to saidslips in said housing during the passage of said tubing therethrough.16. A slip organization porting tubing embodying: a housing; slipsslidably mounted in said housing; a slip control ring adapted toencircle said tubing; means connectingsaid slips to said slip controlring; and a flexible yieldable ring' mounted on said slip control ringand adapted to engage said tubing for impart-` inglimited movement tosaid slips during the passage of a tubing therethrough.

17. A slip organization for use in supporting tubing embodying: ahousing; slips slidably mounted in said housing; a slip control ringadapted to encircle said tubing; means connecting said slips to saidslip control ring; and a exible yieldable ring mounted on said slipcontrol ring and adapted to engage said tubing for imparting limitedmovement to assage of a vtubing therethrough, said flexi le yieldablering being formed so as to act as a packer between said tubing and saidhousing.

18. A slip organization for use in supportfor use in suping tubingembodying: a housing; slips slidably mounted in said housing; a slipcontrol ring adapted to encircle said'tubing; means connecting saidslips in said slip control ring; a iexible yieldable ring mounted onsaid slip controlring and adapted to engage said tubing for impartinglimited movement to said v slips during the passage of ,a tubingtherethrough, and a latch member in said housing v'for releasablyholding said` slips, against movement in said housing. v

19. A slip organization for use in supporting tubing embodying: ahousing; slips slidably,y mounted in said housing; a slip control ringadaptedto encircle said tubing;

means connecting said slips in said slip control ring; a flexibleyieldable ring mounted on said slip control ring and adapted to engagesaid tubing for imparting limited movemen't to said slips duringthe'passage of a tubing therethrough, said flexible yieldable ring beingformed so as to act as a packer between said tubing and said housing,and a latch member in said housin adapted to cooperate with said slipcontro ring for releasably holding said slips vagainst movement in saidhousing.

20. lifting nipple embodying the combination of: a short section oftubing; and a slip assembly on said tubing comprising -a plurality ofslips, means for holding said slips in assembled relation and yieldablemeans carried by said slips and in continual pressure engagement with-said tubing for moving said slips with saidtubing.

21.. A lifting'nipple embodying the combination of: a short section -oftubing; and a slip assembly on said tubing comprising a plurality ofslips, means for holding said slips in assembled relation and meanscomprising a slip control collar attached to said slips and a yieldablemember in said collar engaging said tubing for moving said slips Withsaid collar.

22. A slip organization for use in supporting tubing embodying: ahousing; slips 18th dayof March, 1930.

AUGUST L. SEGELHORST.

